Thank you again to all my readers and all those who are emailing and calling to offer your support. It’s a tremendous source of strength for us. Seriously, we are doing so well.

Israel, who just two months ago was deeply divided politically and religiously, is now operating in complete unity. Two months ago it was stated that at least 35% of reservists would fail to show up for their service. Not only have 100% reported for duty and over 21,000 people, native Israelis and Lone Soldiers, have returned from over seas to defend their country. That is incredible.

In the past, the secular Jews here have greatly resented the ultra religious Jews for not enlisting in the army citing religious principles. The Jewish people who are observant have shown tremendous dislike for those who violate the Sabbath: those who do not take their religious obligations seriously. Now, even the Haredim, the ultra-Orthodox men, have enlisted into the IDF by the thousands. Those who have not enlisted are serving by making and delivering meals, working to assist paramedics, working as drivers and substitutes for those called up to a front line.

Secular Jews are requesting kippot (yarmulkes or head coverings), talit kattan (undershirts with fringes attached to the corners) and t’fillin (strapped-on prayer boxes) to wear during morning prayers. Shabbat liturgies are being celebrated inside tanks and shofar are blown before battle. Each battalion has requested a Torah scroll. Women are lighting Shabbat candles and separating challah. And Bible studies and prayer groups have sprung up throughout the country, observant and secular together, in support of the troops. This has not happened like this in almost 2,500 years, since the time of the Maccabees.

Many of you written that with all the news that you are getting (US, Canada, Scotland, England, Australia and Italy) that you don’t even know what to think or how to pray. You are hearing that the IDF is indiscriminately leveling homes, bombing hospitals and disproportionately killing civilians.

The new from BBC, Al Jazeera and the mainstream media, televised and print, is heavily controlled by and must have approval of Hamas before it goes out. It is now a well-established fact that mainstream media photojournalists were embedded deeply within the terrorist lines during the massacres of 7 October.

Eslaiah, a freelancer who also works for CNN, crossed into Israel, took photos of a burning Israeli tank, and then captured infiltrators entering Kibbutz Kfar Aza….[P]hotos he took in Kfar Aza show Hamas terrorists trying to breach the Kibbutz’s fence and a burning house inside the community.”

Gazan photojournalist Hassan Eslaiah in front of a burning Israeli tank, Oct. 7, 2023 (Photo: Screenshot)

As for the propaganda that Israel indiscriminately is killing innocent Palestinians: first of all, many of the Hamas & Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists have now chosen to dress in civilian clothing rather than army uniforms. When they are killed or wounded and photographed, it appears the IDF is targeting civilians. Also, as has been reported many times over, Hamas uses children and the poor as human shields. Because the IDF will stop their fire if they see children or women, Hamas will surround themselves with these people so as not to get hit by enemy fire. All children in the photo below have arms extended to show they are unarmed. This use of children is another war crime.

Regarding the disproportional response by the IDF and their specific leveling of hospitals and homes, the IDF is trying their best to do surgical strikes on terrorist targets from information procured by both intelligence (satellites, maps of tunnels retrieved from terrorists, and interviews of captured Hamas/PIJ operatives) and actual on-the-ground reconnaissance. Civilians have been ordered to be evacuated (see previous posts on military operations) before the quarter is entered for military strikes. Unfortunately, Hamas, the PIJ and other terrorist groups do not play by the International Laws of Legal Warfare. Their headquarters and arms are placed in residential areas. This is another war crime. Yet the world says nothing.

According to a battalion commander in Gaza (IDF Hamal news), his unit (Paratroopers 101 division) is involved in clearing ops. All standing structures are thoroughly searched room by room for any evidence of Hamas activity. “Irrespective of the size of the building, his unit always discovers weapons and military equipment. The average number of apartments found with such items ranges from one to three, depending on the size of the building. The rank of the fighter residing in the apartment is often correlated with the level of luxury within the building itself. Weapons such as RPGs, anti-tank missiles, grenades, kalechnikovs, uniforms, grab bags and documents are found in such areas as children’s rooms (under bed trundles, armoires), kitchens (drawers, cabinets, storage trunks) and laundry rooms, none of which are locked storage areas as these are residential spaces with children around.” -Jonathan Konricus, Senior Military Spokesperson. Also from Livi Weiss:

Rockets were found inside a bed in the children's bedroom inside the house of a Hamas terrorist during operational activity carried out by the troops of the 551st Brigade. The terrorist was a part of a Hamas terrorist cell in Beit Hanoun >> pic.twitter.com/25SneQfOkF

— דובר צה״ל דניאל הגרי – Daniel Hagari (@IDFSpokesperson) November 16, 2023

Concerning the Shifa Medical Center Complex, only certain buildings have been surrounded and entered based on the precise information provided by Hamas operatives. If you haven’t already seen everything found in the Imaging Center, watch this video. It’s incredible to say the least:

This is absolutely incontrovertible evidence. In addition two bodies of hostages were discovered on the premises of Shifa hospital: one a 22 year old student from Tanzania who was also working as an agricultural hand at the time of his abduction from Kibbutz Nahal Oz:

The second, the body of a 65 year old woman, Yehudit Weiss, being treated for breast cancer, was found on the property of the hospital complex. Her husband, Shmulik, was murdered in front of her eyes in the safe room of their home before her kidnapping from Kibbutz Be’eri. The IDF said she was recovered by troops from the 7th Armored Brigade’s 603rd Battalion. Found in the same building were military equipment, including Kaleshnikov rifles and rocket-propelled grenades.

There have been verifiable reports that a Thai woman, a domestic worker, kidnapped on 7 October to Gaza, has given birth. No word of how she or her baby are faring. Sara Netanyahu wrote letters to Jill Biden and other First Ladies of the world to plead with them to advocate for the release of these two non-Israeli, non-Jewish hostages.

People have asked me how to best pray. We pray for the protection and safe release of all the hostages. Little Ohad Munder just ‘celebrated’ his 9th birthday in captivity yesterday.

We pray for the IDF to continue to route out all the terrorists as quickly and easily as possible. For the protection of our soldiers. For the protection of innocent Palestinian civilians.

To sum up, using patients as human shields, using underground tunnels to create space to store weapons and for terror bases as well as to keep hostages are all war crimes. Stealing fuel from a hospital to run a military is a war crime. Israel is doing as best a job it can to not endanger lives of patients as it blocks off the hospital part by part. The South of Shifa, the outpatient clinics, have been sealed off by cement so terrorists cannot escape. Hopefully, at least some of the captives will be rescued.

In the meantime, the press continues to push for a ceasefire and the Biden administration, namely Secretary of State Blinken, continues to demand a pause so humanitarian aid can be given to the Gazans. As I have repeatedly reported in previous posts, Israel is now daily letting in upwards of 100 trucks filled with aid (tents, food, water, formula, diapers, hygiene products, necessities and blankets) at the Rafat and Kerem Shalom border crossings. Yet this is not being reported.

Few people today have had to directly confront or deal with the brutality and atrocities that Israel has had to endure. Many people talk of the refugee crisis and innocent civilians of Gaza. Over 11,000 – let that number sink in – missiles have been fired into Israel from 3 fronts since the inception of the war. Homes, schools and property has been destroyed. People have been killed and wounded. Ichilov Hospital has incurred direct hits 4 times causing major damage. Where is the outrage? Soroka hospital has been hit. Crickets. Tens of thousands of Israeli families have been displaced from the Gaza and the Northern borders. What is not proportionate is the reporting.

How does one deal with a murderous movement that wants to commit genocide in the name of Allah? Their intentions are clear: first eliminate the people of Israel from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. Then move on to the Western World to claim it for Islam through Jihad. In the United States, the Great Satan and then Europe. I do not have an answer. Right now Israel is trying to keep Hamas and the PIJ from being a threat to Israel and the world by dismantling its military system.

Now is the time to stand up against any form of antisemitism you might encounter. Stand up for ANY wrong, any evil, any untruth, any injustice – no matter where, no matter how small. Firmly but peaceably counter lies, falsehood with truth no matter what it is. Teach your children and grandchildren true history, true moral and ethical principles if they are not hearing it. Stand up against cancel culture. Stand up for freedom of speech. Take a stand against violence at the local level, from your local leaders and educators. Vote. Call your representatives. Fund charitable organizations that fight for good. Gently yet firmly educate others with facts. Above all, be charitable yourselves and walk in LOVE and kindness.

I pray for a more peaceful tomorrow-